


May I have this dance?

by ajstyling



Series: Drabbles and Drabbles and Drabbles, Oh My! [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Any Route, Dancing, F/M, Pre-Time Skip, drabble challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:21:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22200202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajstyling/pseuds/ajstyling
Summary: Ferdinand watches Dorothea dance and feels conflicted.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Dorothea Arnault
Series: Drabbles and Drabbles and Drabbles, Oh My! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604812
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65
Collections: AJ's Fire Emblem Drabbles, Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	May I have this dance?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Felannie Fever Discord prompt: “It’s time to dance”: write 200-500 words about dancing, going to a dance, asking someone to dance, learning/teaching dance, balls, festivals, dance competitions etc (as long as the etc is reasonably within the bounds of dance/dance related activities)
> 
> I choose Ferdinand and Dorothea because I love them.

All around him students and faculty danced joyously, but Ferdinand was stuck to the floor beside a round table. Stuck with guilt, confusion, and a question.

_May I have this dance?_

The words never seemed right in his mind. He could never phrase the question the way he wanted to. He could never decide if he should open with a joke or cut straight to the chase. His tone, he knew, must not be demanding or controlling. But what must it be?

Should he be confident and charming? Or perhaps shy and gentle? Could he be all of this at once? What if he couldn’t?

The question lingered inside Ferdinand’s head, taunting him, as Dorothea’s graceful movements carried her across the floor of the great hall. Watching her dance in the glow of the chandeliers, Ferdinand thought it likely someone would confuse Dorothea for the Goddess herself. 

He would give anything, he realized, to dance with her—even for just one song. 

He knew these thoughts were quite improper and certainly unbecoming of a noble. What would his father think to see him pining hopelessly after a commoner? 

Still, as he saw her spin and dip out of the corner of his eye, that guilt and embarrassment were joined by confusion. How could there ever be something wrong about someone so beautiful, clever, and strong? 

He watched as Ingrid spun Dorothea in her arms one final time and the song came to an end. His heart nearly burst through his chest when Dorothea turned from Ingrid, locked eyes with him, and gave him a slight smile

He watched as she thanked Ingrid and then made her way toward him.

“No plans to dance, Ferdie?” she teased as she stood beside him.

_May I have this dance? May I have this dance? May I have this dance?_

His mind screamed the words his mouth could not speak. As he stood silently, he saw her look confused and then mildly hurt. 

“Ah, is it forbidden to speak to commoners at soirées such as this?”

Without another word she turned to move back across the hall.

“Wait, Dorothea,” he nearly screamed.

She turned to face him, now looking annoyed.

“I must say something,” he said quieter.

Mild annoyance flickered across her face, but she didn’t move away, ‘Well, go on, Ferdie.”

Ferdinand heard the soft noise of a violin start to play and he knew what he must do.

“M-may I have this dance?” he squeaked out.

Annoyance was gone replaced first by confusion, then understanding, and then, at last, by a coquettish smile.

“You may,” she said simply.

She reached out and took one of his hands in her own. Ferdinand prayed to the goddess that she wouldn’t notice the sweat on his palm or the rapidity of his pulse. As she pulled him away from the table and toward the dance floor, the room and the people in it seemed to fade away along with any guilt he felt. 

This was right. This was pure. This was noble.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me:
> 
> Twitter: @ajstyyling  
> Pillowfort: ajstyling  
> Discord: ajstyling#6251


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